Roles of Law and Diplomacy in Dispute Resolution: The IJC as a Possible Model

diplomacy and dispute resolution, International Court of Justic

CSA C873 Building Energy Estimation Methodology - A simplified monthly calculation for quick building optimization

CSA C873 Building Energy Estimation Methodology (BEEM) is a new series of (10) standards that is intended to simplify building energy calculations. The standard is based upon the German DIN Standard 18599 that has 8 years of proven track record and has been modified for the Canadian market. The BEEM method relies on steady state heat balance equations using monthly averages instead of dynamic equations used in hourly software. The method then relies on utilization factors to calculate the contribution of heat gain on heating loads and includes a simplified algorithm for lighting savings associ-ated with daylight strategies. The daylight algorithm is based on avail-able climate data and detailed daylight modelling. The method was validated through the modelling of seven building archetypes in 6 dif-ferent climate zones. Results from the BEEM modeling is compared to similar buildings modeled in CanQuest. Seven typical building ar-chetypes were modeled in 6 different Canadian climate zones. These archetypes are different than the ASHRAE 140 or the BESTEST models with more zones defined and different HVAC systems. The in-tent was to compare the method for typical simple Canadian commer-cial buildings. An average of 8.5% difference on the overall energy consumption was found. Acknowledging there is a difference between energy modeling software results, this difference needs to be put in perspective with differences between energy modeling software and difference from energy modelling to real building consumption. BEEM has the advantage of offering a direct feedback to the user al-lowing for a real time optimization process. The intent of this method is to provide a tool for simple buildings that usually don't get modeled. The BEEM method is not intended as a replacement for the more de-tailed energy modelling simulation that is typically performed for larger or more complex buildings. The planned release date for the standard is March 2014. The CSA C873 Building Energy Estimation Methodology task force is considering the development of a software tool to assist with the adoption of BEEM for simple projects. The Na-tional research Council – Canadian Codes Centre is considering the standard as a path for demonstrating compliance with the National Energy Code for Buildings in 2015

Escherichia coli K88 adhesion: A comparison of Chinese and Large White piglets

A comparative trial was performed on 15 Large White and 12 Chinese germ-free, colostrumdeprived piglets, maintained in plastic film isolators. Shortly after successive oral inoculations of 2 E. coli strains, one K88-positive and one K88-negative, the piglets were sacrificed and bacterial numerations of the 2 strains were done on 3 different intestinal segments of each pig, using both the lumen content and the washed intestinal wall. The percentage of bacteria specifically bound to the intestinal wall was estimated, and the presence or absence of the piglet K88 intestinal receptor was thus inferred. The results tended to indicate that the 12 Chinese piglets lacked this receptor, as against 7 Large White’s. This raises the question of possible breed differences in resistance to this type of colibacillosis.Un essai comparatif a été réalisé sur 15 porcelets Large White et 12 porcelets Chinois, prélevés à la naissance de manière axénique, privés de colostrum et placés en isolateur sous film plastique. Après inoculation par voie orale de 2 souches de E. coli, l’une possédant l’antigène d’attachement K88 (K88+)l’autre dépourvue de cet antigène (K88-), les porcelets sont sacrifiés et 3 segments différents de l’intestin grêle sont prélevés sur chaque porcelet en vue de numérations des 2 souches bactériennes, à la fois dans le contenu intestinal et sur la paroi. Le pourcentage de bactéries spécifiquement attachées à la paroi est ainsi estimé et la présence ou l’absence chez le porcelet du récepteur intestinal K88 peut en être déduite. Les résultats indiquent que les 12 porcelets Chinois ne possèdent pas ce récepteur et doivent donc être résistants à l’attachement de K88, contre 7 porcelets Large White. Cela soulève la question de l’existence possible de races résistantes à cette colibacillose

The Development of the Puerto Rico Lightning Detection Network for Meteorological Research

A land-based Puerto Rico Lightning Detection Network (PR-LDN) dedicated to the academic research of meteorological phenomena has being developed. Five Boltek StormTracker PCI-Receivers with LTS-2 Timestamp Cards with GPS and lightning detectors were integrated to Pentium III PC-workstations running the CentOS linux operating system. The Boltek detector linux driver was compiled under CentOS, modified, and thoroughly tested. These PC-workstations with integrated lightning detectors were installed at five of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) campuses distributed around the island of PR. The PC-workstations are left on permanently in order to monitor lightning activity at all times. Each is networked to their campus network-backbone permitting quasi-instantaneous data transfer to a central server at the UPR-Bayam n campus. Information generated by each lightning detector is managed by a C-program developed by us called the LDN-client. The LDN-client maintains an open connection to the central server operating the LDN-server program where data is sent real-time for analysis and archival. The LDN-client also manages the storing of data on the PC-workstation hard disk. The LDN-server software (also an in-house effort) analyses the data from each client and performs event triangulations. Time-of-arrival (TOA) and related hybrid algorithms, lightning-type and event discriminating routines are also implemented in the LDN-server software. We also have developed software to visually monitor lightning events in real-time from all clients and the triangulated events. We are currently monitoring and studying the spatial, temporal, and type distribution of lightning strikes associated with electrical storms and tropical cyclones in the vicinity of Puerto Rico

Analyse des liaisons entre la morphologie et l'aptitude au galop au trot et au saut d'obstacles chez le Cheval

International audienc

Thunderstorms Producing Sferic-Geolocated Gamma-Ray Flashes Detected by TETRA-II

The terrestrial gamma-ray flash (TGF) and Energetic Thunderstorm Rooftop Array (TETRA-II) detected 22 X-ray/gamma-ray flash events associated with lightning between October 2015 and March 2019 across three ground-based detector locations in subtropical and tropical climates in Louisiana, Puerto Rico, and Panama. Each detector array consists of a set of bismuth germanate scintillators that record X-ray and gamma-ray bursts over the energy range 50 keV–6 MeV (million electron volts). TETRA-II events have characteristics similar to both X-ray bursts associated with lightning leaders and TGFs: sub-millisecond duration, photons up to MeV energies, and association with nearby lightning (typically within 3 km). About 20 of the 22 events are geolocated to individual lightning strokes via spatiotemporally coincident sferics. An examination of radar reflectivity and derived products related to events located within the Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) monitoring region indicates that events occur within mature cells of severe and non-severe multicellular and squall line thunderstorms, with core echo tops which are at or nearing peak altitude. Events occur in both high lightning frequency thunderstorm cells and low lightning frequency cells. Events associated with high frequency cells occur within 5 min of significant lightning jumps. Among NEXRAD-monitored events, hail is present within 8 km and 5 min of all except a single low-altitude cold weather thunderstorm. An association is seen with maximum thunderstorm development, lightning jumps, and hail cells, indicating that the TETRA-II X-ray/gamma-ray events are associated with the peak storm electrification and development of electric fields necessary for the acceleration of electrons to high energies

Disaggregating the electricity sector of china's input-output table for improved environmental life-cycle assessment

Missing process detail of sectors in Input-Output (I-O) tables has been pointed out as a limitation of I-O analysis in environmental-economic life cycle assessment. Aggregation of resource-intensive sectors decreases the accuracy of the results. Often, economic sectors are compiled in a more aggregated form than environmental satellite accounts, and as [Lenzen, M. (2011) Aggregation Versus Disaggregation in Input-Output Analysis of the Environment. Economic Systems Research, 23, 73-89] asserts, it is superior for environmental analysis to disaggregate the I-O table, even if only partial information exists for the disaggregation. In this paper we present a methodology to disaggregate the electricity sector of the Chinese national I-O table by using regional information and cost data for operation and maintenance of power plants. The electricity sector is disaggregated into a transmission and distribution sector as well as eight sub-sectors representing different types of technology in power plants (subcritical coal, hydro, etc.). The electricity consumption mix of each industry is determined by using regional industry presence and regional electricity power mixes. The disaggregated I-O table offers refined results for calculating emissions embodied in international exports from China, a valuable contribution for estimating national greenhouse gases emissions inventories under the consumption-based approach for countries that rely heavily on imports of goods from China

Héritabilité réalisée pour la taille de portée dans la sélection de truies dites « hyperprolifiques »

Une expérience de sélection sur la prolificité est menée depuis 1973 au Centre d’Insémination Artificielle porcine de l’INRA, à Rouillé (Vienne). Une lignée de verrats Large White (appelés H) est créée par sélection de truies de prolificité extrême (dites « hyperprolifiques ») dans une grande population et accouplement de leur fils à d’autres truies hyperprolifiques de la même population. Par ce système de croisement en retour, répété chaque année, le niveau génétique espéré des verrats H atteint progressivement celui des femelles hyperprolifiques. L’efficacité de ce plan de sélection est évaluée par comparaison, dans des élevages de production, de filles de verrats H à des truies d’une autre lignée Large White, utilisée comme témoin (T). Au total, les portées de 850 truies, issues de 24 verrats H sélectionnés de 1973 à 1983 et de 118 verrats T contemporains, sont analysées pour les variables « nés totaux » (NT) et « nés vivants » (NV). Dans une première analyse, la taille de portée est considérée comme une variable unique, dont la répétabilité est supposée égale à 0,15. En prenant comme variable indépendante le critère de sélection D des truies hyperprolifiques (D = nd/(1 + 0, 15 (n - 1)) où d est la supériorité moyenne de NT sur n portées), l’héritabilité réalisée hr2 est estimée par régression en fonction de la différentielle de sélection cumulée des verrats H. Les valeurs de hr2 (0,14 ± 0,05 et 0,10 ± 0,05 respectivement pour NT et NV) situent l’efficacité globale du schéma de sélection, i.e. un gain attendu de 0,8 porcelet en NT chez les filles de verrats H pour D = 12. L’analyse révèle cependant une hétérogénité significative de hr2 selon le rang de portée (0,03, 0,26 et 0,18 pour NT, respectivement pour les rangs 1,2 et 3 et plus). Par ailleurs, les héritabilités estimées par régression mère-fille (0,02 ± 0,03 pour NT et 0,05 ± 0,03 pour NV) sont inférieures à hr2, ce qui suggère l’existence d’effets maternels défavorables. Une seconde analyse est réalisée pour tenter d’estimer les paramètres génétiques réalisés en considérant les portées successives d’une truie comme des caractères différents. Bien qu’estimés avec une faible précision, les paramètres obtenus indiquent que la taille de la 1re portée est moins héritable que les autres, et que des corrélations génétiques sensiblement inférieures à 1 peuvent exister entre les portées successives. Les causes possibles de ces différences et les conséquences à en attendre pour la sélection sont discutées.A selection experiment for prolificacy is carried on since 1973 at the pig artificial insemination centre of Rouillé (Vienne, France). A Large White boar line (called H) is created by selecting extremely prolific sows (so-called « hyperprolific ») in a large population and mating their sons to other hyperprolific sows from the same population. By repeating every year this type of backcross, the genetic merit for prolificacy of the H boars is expected to progressively reach the hyperprolific level. The efficiency of such a selection scheme is assessed by comparing daughters of H boars to daughters of another Large White boar line, used as a control (C), under commercial farm conditions.Altogether, litters by 850 sows, from 24 H boars selected over the period 1973-1983 and from 118 contemporaty C boars, are analysed for total born (NT)and born alive (NT). In a first analysis, litter size is considered as a single trait, with repeatability 0.15. Using the selection criterion D of hyperprolific sows -D = nd/ (1+ 0.15 (n - 1)), where d is the superiority in NT averaged over n litters) as the independent variable, realized heritability hr2 is estimated by regression on the cumulated selection differential of H boars. The values of hr2 (0.14 ± 0.05 and 0.10 ± 0.05 for NT and NV respectively) measure the global efficiency of the scheme, i.e. an estimated gain of 0.8 piglet in NT on daughters of H boars assuming D + 12. However, the analysis also shows a significant heterogeneity of hr2 according to parity (0.03, 0.26 and 0.18 for NT in parity 1,2 and . or more, respectively). Furthermore, heritabilities estimated by daughter-dam regression (0.02 ± 0.03 and 0.05 ± 0.03 for NT and NV respectively) are lower than hr2, which suggests the existence of unfavourable maternal effects. An attempt is made, in a second analysis, to estimate realized genetic parameters by considering successive litters as different traits. Though rather poorly estimated, these parameters suggest a lower heretability for first litters as compared to the others, and possible low genetic correlations between successive litters. The possible causes of those differences and their consequences for selection are discusse